Living Waters does not have the technical resources to develop a standard design for a solar powered system.  One of our Initiating Partners, however, has developed a solar powered system for their installation in Haiti.  Doug Briganti was the person that designed and installed this system.  This installation includes the standard electrical components on the board – the pump, the ozonator, as well as a ½ hp, 115 volt AC submersible pump for the water well that supplies their system. 

This solar power system includes the following components:

1.      Four (4) 120 watt, 17.5 volt, 7.1 amp, Solar panels                         ~ $900 each

2.      Eight (8) Trojan T-105 Wet Cell batteries, 6 volts, 225 amps          ~$100 each

3.      One (1) Inverter Modified Sine Wave 3600 watts, 24 volt             ~$1200 each

4.      Other electrical equipment, components, and mounting hardware   ~$400

The approximate cost for this solar powered equipment is $6,000.

According to Doug, this system is somewhat oversized so that it can power some lighting and other small power tools used in the water building. 

One important consideration before choosing a solar powered installation is the security of the system and the electrical components.  If the building and its components are not secure, then it is likely that the solar components could be stolen and lost to the installation.  

Teams considering a solar power system should also ensure that all their solar equipment and components are available for sale in the local country.   Without a local supplier, system could be shut down for extended periods of time waiting for spare parts to be shipped from the US.

If you are considering a solar powered installation, please consult with Living Waters so that we can help you collaborate with others that have installed solar powered systems.

Last update: 10:35 PM Monday, May 18, 2009